Toy bridge



Man-ch11; 1930. MADE 1,150,519 TOY BRIDGE Filed Sept. 29. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet l March 11, 930.

Patented Mar. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES HANS JADE, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA TOY BRIDGE Application filed September 29, 1926. Serial No. 138,467.

This invention relates to improvements in toy bridges, and has particular reference to a mechanical toy bridge.

The principal object of this invention is to produce a toy bridge for use in connection with toy trains or the like, whereby the action of a swinging bridge of the turn-table type will be simulated.

Another object of the present invention is to produce a toy bridge which is simple and therefore cheap to manufacture, and well within the purchase price of the average user.

A further object is to produce a toy of this character which is neat and pleasing in appearance.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following de scription.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a top plan View of my toy,

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is a horizontal cross section taken on the line 33 of Figure 5,

Figure 4 is a horizontal cross section taken on the line 14 of Figure 5,

Figure 5 is a vertical cross section taken on the line 55 of Figure 3,

Figure 6 is a fragmentary detail view showing the latch mechanism, and

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail View showing the gate operating mechanism.

In the accompanying drawings wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral 5 designates a frame adapted to simulate a bed of a stream having bridge abutments 6 and 7 secured thereto, while at 8 I- have illustrated a pier common to all turntable type of bridges. This pier encloses a gear mechanism operated throgh the medium of a spring, which spring is tensioned over a winding shaft 9 on which a key is placed.

If desired, a bell 11 may be employed which bell is contacted by a striker 12 for the purpose of giving an audible signal during the operation of the bridge.

The gear mechanism is adapted to drive a shaft 13 having adisc 14 on the lower portion thereof and an, arm 16 upon its upper extremity. The disc 14 is provided with notches 1'7 on the periphery thereof which are adapted. to be engaged by a dog 18 pivoted as at 19. A spring 21 serves to normally keep the dog in engagement with the periphery of the disc.

A lever 22 positioned upon one of the abutments is connected by a link 23 to a bell crank 24-, which bell crank in turn is adapted to contact a push rod 26. The push rod in turn engages one end of the lever 18.

A disc 27 is secured to the lower extremity of the shaft 13 and has downwardly projecting cams 28 which are adapted to contact an arm 29 carried upon the shaft 31, which shaft has levers 32 at each end thereof. These levers are in turn connected by links 33 to gates 34 pivotally supported on each of the abutments.

A shaft 36 is positioned in the pier 8 and has a lever 37 which lever is connected by a link 38 to the crank 16.

Mounted upon the shaft 36 is a bridge portion 39, which bridge portion simulates the standard type of turn-table bridge, and

I may or may not have railroad tracks positioned thereon.

The manner of operating my bridge is as follows Assuming that it is desired to operate the same and that the spring has been tensioned the lever 22 is moved, which in turn pushes upon the end of the latch 18 withdrawing the same from one of the notches 17 which permits the spring of the gear train to function, after which the shaft 13 will make a quarter revolution of shaft 36 through the link connection 38 to the lever 37 and will cause the bridge to make a quarter turn. Immediately upon the initial movement of the shaft 13, the cam 28 striking the arm 29 will cause the gates adjacent each end of the bridge to go down.

The second operation of the lever 32 will cause the bridge to return to its normal position and the gates to be raised.

It will thus be seen that I have provided a very simple mechanism for accomplishing the objects above set forth.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and that various changes relative to the size, material, shape and arrangement of parts may :be resorted to Witho tt'departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claim.

Having thus described my invention; I claim In a toy of the character described, a pair of portable spaced abutments connected to each other, a pier fixedly positioned between said abntmen-ts, a bridge portion pivotally supported on said pier and adapted to be ro tated into and out of contact with said abutments, :1 gear mechanism positioned within said pier, and adapted to rotate said bridge, gates positioned on said abutments, a shaft extending between said abntments, means for rocking said shaft when said bridge is actuated and means for transmitting said rocking nm ion fr m s sh ft to sa d g s- I testimony whereo I Hifi my Signature HA S JAD 

